*◊ EXTRAORDINARILY RARE WEBLEY NO 1, MARK I, ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY MODEL, WITH ORIGINAL STOCK.

SN 6278. Cal. .455. One of only a handful of surviving Mark I pistols made for the British Royal Horse Artillery in WWI, the total production being only 439 (from Webley company records). Unique features include a 4-position rotatable rear sight marked “50-200” and a strutted hammer safety, secured with 2 detents, that blocks the hammer fall. Bottom of the left frame is slotted for a detachable flat board shoulder stock. The first such pistols, designated No 1, Mark I, as this example, had a slotted plate affixed by rivets to a standard frame. Later guns (designated No 2, Mark I) had a frame re-designed to have an integrally machined stock slot. Features, function & takedown are otherwise identical to the standard Mark I N (Navy issue model), with a slide release mounted on the left frame, a large grip safety and a rotatable lanyard ring at the base of the backstrap. Magazine is released by a push button at bottom of the frame. Left side of the slide is marked with the winged W&S logo followed by a 3-line address “WEBLEY & SCOTT LTD / PISTOL SELF-LOADING 455 MARK I / 1915”. Scattered British proofing dated 15 is on top of the bbl, slide and right side of the tang. SN “6278” appears on the forward frame, just ahead of the trigger guard. All major components are blued or heat treated to a dark hue. Dark brown bakelite grips, unnumbered, checkered to emphasize large diamonds around retaining screws, each panel having a broad arrow acceptance in the upper portion of the central diamond. Correct unmarked magazine. Accompanied by an extremely rare orig flat board shoulder stock whose lug is marked with a broad arrow surmounting British proofs. The lower edge of the stock, under the lug, is numbered “26”; Webley records showing that only 50 of these stocks were ever made. Fit to the pistol is superb – slipping in smoothly with no significant wobble. PROVENANCE: Collection of Dr. Geoffrey Sturgess. CONDITION: Approx 80% orig Webley brushed blue military finish with expected handling wear, particularly under trigger guard, frontstrap & grip safety whose surfaces have transitioned to a pleasant grey-brown. Same consideration & wear pattern involves small parts. Orig grips with slightly blunted checkering & a few minor losses. Chip missing from lower rear portion of right grip where pinned to the frame. Orig magazine in VG-excellent condition. Slightly dull bore with shallow rifling & mild oxidation. Perfect manual mechanics. Stock condition is a perfect match for the pistol with transitional toning of the lug. Flat board has orig varnish with age darkening & scattering of superficial dings. One of the few early No 1, Mark I’s to have an added stock lug & the only orig stock known to this cataloger! 4-52476 (15,000-25,000) – Lot 2256

Auction: Firearms - March 2015

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2256	$17,250.00	◊ EXTRAORDINARILY RARE WEBLEY NO 1, MARK I, ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY MODEL, WITH ORIGINAL STOCK. SN 6278. Cal. .455. One of only a handful of surviving Mark I pistols made for the British Royal Horse Artillery in WWI, the total production being only 439 (from Webley company records). Unique features include a 4-position rotatable rear sight marked “50-200” and a strutted hammer safety, secured with 2 detents, that blocks the hammer fall. Bottom of the left frame is slotted for a detachable flat board shoulder stock. The first such pistols, designated No 1, Mark I, as this example, had a slotted plate affixed by rivets to a standard frame. Later guns (designated No 2, Mark I) had a frame re-designed to have an integrally machined stock slot. Features, function & takedown are otherwise identical to the standard Mark I N (Navy issue model), with a slide release mounted on the left frame, a large grip safety and a rotatable lanyard ring at the base of the backstrap. Magazine is released by a push button at bottom of the frame. Left side of the slide is marked with the winged W&S logo followed by a 3-line address “WEBLEY & SCOTT LTD / PISTOL SELF-LOADING 455 MARK I / 1915”. Scattered British proofing dated 15 is on top of the bbl, slide and right side of the tang. SN “6278” appears on the forward frame, just ahead of the trigger guard. All major components are blued or heat treated to a dark hue. Dark brown bakelite grips, unnumbered, checkered to emphasize large diamonds around retaining screws, each panel having a broad arrow acceptance in the upper portion of the central diamond. Correct unmarked magazine. Accompanied by an extremely rare orig flat board shoulder stock whose lug is marked with a broad arrow surmounting British proofs. The lower edge of the stock, under the lug, is numbered “26”; Webley records showing that only 50 of these stocks were ever made. Fit to the pistol is superb – slipping in smoothly with no significant wobble. PROVENANCE: Collection of Dr. Geoffrey Sturgess. CONDITION: Approx 80% orig Webley brushed blue military finish with expected handling wear, particularly under trigger guard, frontstrap & grip safety whose surfaces have transitioned to a pleasant grey-brown. Same consideration & wear pattern involves small parts. Orig grips with slightly blunted checkering & a few minor losses. Chip missing from lower rear portion of right grip where pinned to the frame. Orig magazine in VG-excellent condition. Slightly dull bore with shallow rifling & mild oxidation. Perfect manual mechanics. Stock condition is a perfect match for the pistol with transitional toning of the lug. Flat board has orig varnish with age darkening & scattering of superficial dings. One of the few early No 1, Mark I’s to have an added stock lug & the only orig stock known to this cataloger! 4-52476 (15,000-25,000) – Lot 2256 Auction: Firearms - March 2015 Please Note:* All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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*◊ EXTRAORDINARILY RARE WEBLEY NO 1, MARK I, ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY MODEL, WITH ORIGINAL STOCK.